This book holds a special place in my library because it is one of the first "adult" novels I read. It's a good story with strong characters and a twisted plot. It does read a little like a overindulgent drama with too many coincidences for my taste, but those coincidences do set up very good stories. The voice is strong and while the reader is privy to all the dirt in every characters life I think it's hard not to empathize with some, if not most, through Sheldon's writing style